Together We Cry
by demonkittyX
Summary: Everything was normal between Stan, Kyle, and Kenny until Kyle got sick. Now Stan will find out how Kyle really feels about him.  Terrible summary! But I couldn't say much more without giving the who story away. Rated M for language. It gets worse later.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter : 1

Everything dies someday. That's how life works. You spend countless days, hours, minutes, and seconds 'living' the life that was given to you. But no one knows when they will die so you try to live your life to the fullest while you have a life to latch onto and leech off of. Life was given to us, but just as easily can be yanked out from underneath us and leave us to collapse to the solid, cold ground beneath. Eventually, we ALL die.

Death made a heavy impact of three docile lives in South Park though. Yes, Death was a recurring visitor here. Black tentacles wrapping around it's prey and squeezing ever last drop of life out of the limp bodies it claimed. It never ceased to cut it's steel knife of fear into everyone's flesh every time it was mentioned in South Park. Some though, knew it had no hold over them.

A perfect example was the blond headed angel named Kenny. One of the lives Death impacted in our story. Kenny never really feared Death anymore, but instead, welcomed it with warm arms as if it was a long lost companion of his. Death was a rose to him. Roses have thorns though and every time Kenny opened his abnormally skinny arms to greet Death, his thorns would pry into his skin, tearing away flesh and leaving deep gashes and wounds that would bleed and bleed until Kenny woke up in his bed the next morning, remembering every death he had experienced, but haunted but the curse of no one else remembering his cruel morbid fates. No, Kenny didn't fear Death. He hated it. He wanted to truly die. However, this angel cannot.

Beside Kenny is one of his childhood friends, Kyle Broflovski. Kyle was what you would call a 'nerd'. He would spend so much energy on his studies that it surprised everyone that he even had any charge left to get him through the rest of the day. Kyle was a simple boy with complex thoughts. He often opens his mouth and let's fiercely burning questions that his appetite for knowledge craved for. He always wanted to satisfy the beast. Kyle though, however his innocent curly strands and green eyes sent waves of a pure child, wasn't even near pure. Kyle had a dark interior that no one knew about. His thoughts often lead to strange demented ones. He would always shove them in some deep crevice of his inner being though, refusing to believe it was him. Kyle, was another victim of Death.

However, between the nerd and the perverted angel was the sports fanatic. Stan Marsh also hung around Kyle Broflovski and Kenny McCormick. He had a strong, but sensitive personality. Although he was a tough quarterback for the South Park Cows, Stan had a soft spot for animals and would often get called a 'hippie' or 'tree hugger'. Insults like this were not unlike the ones Kyle received. Some such as 'Daywalker' and simply 'Jew'. Kenny was the 'poor kid'. Crude words of venom like this were often spat by the snake Eric Cartman, an ex-friend of theirs. Whatever the cutting words though, Stan would mostly keep his cool unlike his fiery headed super best friend and his silent angel companion. Stan was often referred as the leader of the three. It had once been four until Eric turned into an asshole.

Death would connect with these three sooner than expected. As twelve year olds, they were just starting to figure out how they would handle high school, what college they would like to attend, and what their dream jobs would be. In their heads, Death was far away, except for Kenny who almost died every day. Nothing could prepare these young boys for their grim visitor. For as last laughs lingered in the air, small smiles disappeared, dusk set in, and the midnight bell tolls, one of them would fall into the hands of illness and eventually pull them into the unforgiving embrace of Death. Tears are droplets of grief, pain, misery, and loneliness.

But all the tears in the world cannot stop Death.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

A gloved finger of green moved the delicate snow around as it lay on the ground. Pink lips curved into a content smile as forest green eyes gazed upon the small smiling face that he had depicted into the ground. The air was still and calm around the bus stop as three figures waited for their yellow carriage to the Hell most referred to as school.

Stan glanced down at Kyle, amused by his thoughtful look as he observed his own snow art. Stan had always thought that it was rather cute of his Super Best Friend to have so much thought on the littlest of things. It was true, Kyle had a habit of making sure that most things were perfect. It was an unhealthy obsession but it had always clung onto him since he was born into his Jewish family so by now, most people took no notice to it.

Cartman stood uncomfortably a few feet away, his hands shoved deeply into his warm sweatpants pockets. Cartman never really 'liked' the other three boys but they were his 'friends', or well, ex-friends now. They were the people he used to take advantage of and play around with. Things had changed though. Ever since he posted up on every website, every block of South Park, and somehow, in every newspaper in the United States that Stan and Kyle were gay, things had never been the same. Of course, the boys claimed that the article was a lie, but that didn't stop people from believing it or wondering about it.

Letting out a sigh, Cartman turned his head towards Stan. "That was one hell of a football game last Friday Stan. Good job. " Cartman had once been on the football team but he was kicked off recently for peeping into the cheerleader's locker room and stealing Wendy Testaburger's bra and panties. Stan had beaten him up for that a hour after he heard. It was bad enough he was around Wendy when she chattered but when she actually had something meaningful that happened to HER, the talking never seemed to cease.

"Thanks." the murmur left the raven-haired boy with reluctance. He couldn't quite figure out why Cartman was speaking to him. Did he feel remorse for the lost friendship?

Kyle's green ushanka rose with the rest of his body as he followed Stan's eyes to look at Cartman with cat-like curiosity. "Are you sick fatass? Since when do you start talking to us again?"

A snort escaped Cartman's mouth as he stared at the Jew, deciding if he should insult him or not. "Just making conversation. It was quite around here. "

The air seemed to grow lighter and more welcoming as a orange encased angel ran up to the bus stop. In one hand was his bag strap. In the other was a Playboy magazine. The angel's smile grew more crooked as he noticed that the other three were staring at the magazine. They all knew that the hooded holy being read such obscenities most of the time, but regularly he would never dare to bring the thin paper book to school. A sly 'good morning' was passed between his tongue, to his perfect white teeth, to his demented smiling lips, and into the corridors of his hoodie. The words came out muffled but understandable.

"Hey Ken-doll." Stan breathed at him. Stan had some awkward moments of his when he would revert back into his metro-sexual speaking habits and utter tiny pet names. As much as he hated speaking such things, at moments he couldn't stop himself from talking that way.

A crude laugh was mad softly throughout the air as Cartman smirked at Stan for his words. This granted him the prize of Stan's fist running into his shoulder. It wasn't meant to be painful but just hard enough to make him stop, and it did.

A green gloved hand rested against the orange covered shoulder. "Why did you bring that dude?" the daywalker nodded his head towards the parchment.

"I get bored during class. The teachers always suggest that I read so I might as well read something interesting." his crooked smile never left his lips as his sky blue eyes stared down at the shrub green eyes of the half-ginger.

Before anyone else could exchange any words, the yellow beast pulled up the the stop. It's mouth opened as one of the people it had devoured screamed at the four. "Get your butts in here you little rats! We're late!"

A few muffled down words were passed through the air that resembled something that sounded like 'we're always late you crazy whore.'

Mrs. Crabtree, the bus driver, glared a Kenny and screamed, "What did you say?"

Kenny's reply was too muffled to be even called words. So with that, the four took their designated seats on the beast as it prowled on the tar road to Hell.

Kyle's boots dug into the freshly fallen snow from this morning as he sat on a bench on the playground. Kids from his grade ran around him, playing various games and gossiping to one another. Stan sat next to him, watching Kyle's boot with interest as it made holes and shapes into the white blanket. "Whatcha making?"

"I dunno yet. Swirls I guess..." Kyle's reply was slow and hesitant. His green eyes were locked onto the snow as he drew a stick figure of what he dubbed with the label of 'Stan'. He looked at the real-life Stan expectingly, "I made you..." a tiny smile found it's way onto Kyle's pale lips. In fact, lately, Kyle had been paler than usual and looked actually quite sick. His appearance gave off a unhealthy vibe.

Stan's ocean orbs scanned over the stick figure as he smiled, "It's awesome dude. Kyle...are you feeling well? You look like you're going to be sick."

A shudder passed through the half-ginger's body as a cold, brisk wind passed through the air. "I'm fine. Don't worry about me."

What Stan didn't see was the lies pouring from Kyle's mouth as he reassured him of his health. His eyes seemed to shine as Stan believed his pathetic reply. But no matter how his eyes seemed to spark for a moment his eyes were glossed over with sickness and pain. He held back a cough threatening to come out only to cause his throat to burn and tickle uncomfortably.

Kenny sat across the playground, glancing here and there at Kyle while his girlfriend, Tammy, jabbered on about something that had to do with the Jonas Brothers. He raised a brow as he detected an awkward atmosphere coming from his Jewish friend. This worried the angel.

"Tammy. Let's talk about this later, okay?" Disappointment showed in the girl's eyes but she nodded obediently. Kenny rose to his feet and ran over to Stan and Kyle.

"Hey Kenny." Kyle let a big grin spread across his face as he looked up at the orange hooded boy. Stan mimicked Kyle's greeting.

Kenny say next to Kyle and let out a heavy sigh. "You don't look good Kyle." The angel observed Kyle's movements with deep interest. His smile twitched uncomfortably along with the rest of his body. He bit his bottom lip praying for some stability but found none. With dense effort he breathed out a 'I'm fine'.

The Jew's friends glanced from Kyle to each other, exchanging looks of doubt and concern. Kyle didn't seem to notice them though for he was focusing on the sound of the bell ringing and wondering how he was going to be able to stand without collapsing to the ground. "We gotta go back to class."

Stan and Kenny nodded in reply and helped Kyle up even though he kept shouting at them to let him stand by himself and that he was perfectly fine. They were kind hearted boys but one must wonder. Was their kindness in vain in the end?

"You guys wanna come over tonight?" Stan questioned the other two with a playful smile. The two spoke various ways of the answer 'yes' to their friend.

One of them wouldn't make it though.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Stan and Kenny's faces were glued to the flashing TV screen as they played a video game. One of the characters shouted a string of curse words, making Kenny scream 'woohoo!'

Stan's lips pulled up into a smile as he heard the phone ring. "Must be Kyle." he murmured half to himself and half to Kenny. "Can you get it mom?" he shouted. His mom replied by silencing the phone's shrieking.

Kenny pulled his hood down to look at one of the girls more closely, smiling gleefully when noticing she was barely clothed. A slight whistle was made by him. Stan rolled his eyes at his perverted friend.

"Stan?"

The raven-haired boy's head shot up to look at his mother. A playful grin was spread out across his face. "Hey mom! Was that Kyle?"

"It was his mother."

Kenny's blond head rose up. "Is he not coming then?"

Stan's mother let out a heavy sigh at the boys and avoided their shining eyes. Stan's head tilted in confusion. The blond angel mimicked the boy's action.

"Stan. Kenny. Kyle won't be coming at all. He's...well...he's in the hospital."

The boy's jaws dropped in surprise. Kyle had been in the hospital numerous times. Whether it was for his diabetes or weak immune system, they had always worried for him, but knew he would be okay. Something about this time was deeply awkward though. Stan's mother was acting funny.

Kenny was the one to break the tension of the silence. "We could visit him." Stan's head nodded in complete agreement.

Sharon Marsh smiled slightly and walked to the coat closet and pulled out a plain black silk coat. "Alright, c'mon. I think Kyle would enjoy the company." her voice lingered with an eerie tone.

Stan and Kenny exchanged worried glances before piling into Stan's mother's car. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kyle's breathing was heavy and labored, sometimes causing his throat to let out a whistling noise. His green eyes lacked the light and life he once had. He stared warily at the IV in his left arm, eyeing is with dismay. He sucked in the oxygen flushing through his oxygen mask, making him cough like a maniac. His body twitched and ached with almost deadly pain making him want to faint from the agony.

His ears twitched slightly at the knocking on his room's door. A brunette nurse popped her head in the doorway. "you're a lucky boy Mr. Broflovski. Some of your friends are here to visit you."

Kyle smiled weakly and croaked out his words. "Cool. Thanks."

She nodded in return and let Stan and Kenny pass into the room. Stan gasped slightly at Kyle's sickly appearance. Kenny frowned the the sight. "I knew you were sick!" he shouted.

Kyle sucked in more oxygen as he rasped, "I didn't want you to worry for me."

Stan sat on the edge of the bed, carefully maneuvering around the oxygen tank. "Well we're worried now. Did they tell you what was wrong?"

Kyle shook his head, "no." He lied to them, not wanting to cause anymore concern than need be. He hated having them worry for him.

Stan observed Kyle's face, trying to detect if he was lying, but came up with no results that he was. "Does it hurt?"

"Uh...what the hell do you think dude?" Kyle's uneasy chuckle rang through the air.

Kenny shook his head in disbelief, recognizing a familiar scent on Kyle. The scent of Death. One that Kenny had known all his life. "You better not die on us Kyle. You're our friend. Life would suck ass without you."

Kyle's side jolted in pain. but his squeezed his eyes tightly, holding back his squeal of blade-like pain. He smiled, "I'll try." The offered reply was weak and pitiful. They all knew it was lacking truth, but no one said anything about it.

Silence pierced the air like thousands of needles being stuck into someone's skin. It was agonizing and taunting. They all had so much they wanted to say, but they wouldn't say those things.

"Stan...?"

Kyle stared at the door, not meeting his super best friend's eyes. Stan took Kyle's hand, sensing the discomfort in his voice. Emerald eyes teared up in front of the two.

"I'm scared!" Kyle shouted, sobbing uncontrollably. His chest heaved up and down as his breathing became worse. Not even the extra oxygen was helping. Kyle's teeth dug deeply into his bottom lip, causing tiny dots of blood to pool beneath his skin. Kenny's hand grasped onto the other two's hands as his stomach lurched, making him feel terribly sick. Stan let Kyle's head rest on his shoulder as their hands hugged each other's fingers securely.

"It'll be okay Kyle. Right Ken?" Stan looked to the boy for some encouragement, but Kenny offered none, mesmerized by the heavy scent on Kyle. It was thick and made him was to puke.

Kyle pushed himself away from the safety of Stan's shoulder as the nurse returned.

"Visiting hours are over. Sorry boys. You will have to head home. And Mrs. Marsh says you need to go with her to church tonight." A saddened smile sat on her face.

Kenny hugged Kyle quickly, trying to give him some sort of comfort. It was a split second before the boy raced out to get away from the all-too familiar smell.

Kyle wiped away his tears and smiled happily at Stan, completely changing his attitude. "Hey Stan. Do you have to go to church?"

"Yeah. I do. I'll pray for you, dude."

"Stan...?"

"Yes?"

"Here." Kyle took off his green ushanka and handed it to Stan with a small smile. "You've always been there for me through thick and thin. You have never let me down. You brighten my day. You're my best friend in the whole wide world and I just wanted to say...thanks...you know...for being my super best friend." Kyle leaned forward and pecked his lips against Stan's cheek quickly. "I love you."

A deep red blush crept across Stan's face as he gripped onto the hat."I..." He lost the words in his throat. In a swift movement he hugged Kyle tightly, never wanting to let him go. "I l-love you too." He whispered. With a quick wave, Stan left Kyle alone.

Focusing on the door, he let out a deep sigh. He was dying. He knew it. He didn't want Stan and Kenny to know though.

A few years back, Kyle's kidneys began shutting down. The only compatible donor was Cartman and after a lot of fuss, Cartman donated it. It lasted him a good few years and over those years another disease began to spread to it. The doctors said that it was too far gone to mess with and he would die within at least a few months. The waiting list for another donor would take too long.

The rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor comforted, disturbed, and saddened him. It was mocking him. Laughing at him in its own way, saying that it was only a matter of time. Closing his eyes, he listened to it, taking in its sound.

"Stan...Kenny...I'm so sorry." That was the last thing the boy said. The rhythm slowed, making long pauses in-between. A darker black cloak fell over the dark of the back of his eyelids. Admiring the heavy sound of his heartbeat in his ears, Kyle let out a sigh.

Outside, rain began to fall, as if actually noticing the sad death of the ginger. The world was sick and cruel. Something Stan and Kenny would realize soon enough. The room was quiet besides the tapping of the rain and the low hum of the heart monitor. And then there was the deafening pain of...

Silence.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

He has never really liked church all that much. He believed in God and how Jesus was his son and all of that, but he never really liked getting together with everyone else just to talk about God. He thought worship should be done by yourself. He had learned that from his Jewish friend.

Stan hung his head low as he dug his nails into Kyle's hat. Kenny watched this with little interest. He really wanted to know what Stan was hiding. He had refused to tell him ever since he had emerged from Kyle's room with a bright red blush on his cheeks. He decided to press Stan a bit more. "C'mon. Tell me Stan."

His reply was a plain, cold, and firm "no."

Kenny poked his raven-haired friend's cheek repeatedly, trying to persuade him. "C'mon Staaaaanleeeey," he dragged out his friend's name, "Stop being a bastard! Tell me already!"

Stan glanced up at the minister for a minute, watching him drone on about some Bible verse he could give a shit less about. His grip tightened around the green hat, making Kenny shudder. "He told me he loved me...and then he kissed my cheek."

Kenny smiled and pulled his orange hood up. He usually kept it down during church, even though his hair was a bit messy. His small pale hand took Stan's as he pulled him down cautiously, making sure neither of their parents saw them. "Follow me." He whispered.

Stan followed lazily behind the hooded boy, keeping Kyle's hat close to his chest, finding some comfort in its warmth. Kenny pulled Stan to his feet and lead him out the backdoor, closing it silently behind them.

"So he loves you?" Kenny smirked slightly at his own words.

Stan stared off into the distance, feeling the butterflies eat away at his stomach like the nectar of a flower. His cheeks turned a rosy red as he thought of Kyle's words, letting them ring in his head over and over. "Yeah. He does."

"Then go to him."

Stan and Kenny looked over at the source of the voice. His crude smile was flashed at the two as he leaned against the brick wall.

"Cartman..." The raven haired boy looked at the slightly overweight one.

"If Kyle loves you and he's in the hospital, shouldn't you be there with him. I think god will forgive you for skipping one church meeting to go and be with your dying best friend." Cartman rubbed the back of his neck as he grinned at Kenny and Stan.

Kenny put his hands on his hips, hissing slightly as he said, "You were the one who basically told the whole fucking world that they were lovers! Why are you so considerate now?"

Cartman's smile faded in an instant, making Stan shiver a little. He had always hated it when Cartman gave them that look. "He's my friend to believe it or not! I actually do care about him! I just...don't like to show it. Stan stop being a fucking idiot okay? Kyle need you. Just imagine if you were sitting, dying in a hospital without even one friend by your side!"

A twist of pain punched Stan in the gut, making him actually choke on the words he was going to say. Instead, he looked at Kenny and Cartman and gave them a small nod.

Cartman gave Stan a small smile, pushing him in the direction of Hell's Pass Hospital. The name of it had its own irony in it.

"I'll be back in a while. Kenny. Cartman. Can you cover for me for a while?" the raven- haired boy looked at the two for support.

"Sure Dude! You can count on me!" Kenny flashed him a bright grin.

"Whatever. Just go already. The faster you get there the better." Cartman crossed his arms and gave Stan a smug look.

With a quick nod he said his goodbyes to the two and ran off in the direction of the hospital.

Little did poor Stan know though that he was much too late.

* * *

><p>We all take life for granted sometimes. It's really a pleasant thing bestowed upon us. Many people die each day and unless it was someone we knew, we shrug it off like it was nothing. Life is not a toy that your throw away when you get too old for it. Life has meaning. It has heart. It has a soul.<p>

Under pressure and sadness though, one may take their life, believing it's some easy way out. Yes, we take life for granted. Just as we do with best friends and lovers. You never know what you have lost until you have. A lesson Stan would not soon forget.

The snow crunched noisily under his footsteps. He knew quite well that visiting hours were over so he would have to try, and convince one of the nurses to let him see Kyle even for just a moment.

He walked up to the door of Hells Pass hospital, pushing past the doors hastily, eager to see the ginger.

The hospital was dead silent. The only noise was the tapping of Stan's sneakers against the newly polished floor and the typing of the computer made by the secretary at the front desk.

Brushing a lock of his black hair back he stepped up to the desk. "C-can I see Mr. Broflovski?" he wanted to sound formal so he would sound like a grown-up.

The secretary looked up from her computer and rudely blew a bubblegum bubble in his face. Stan wished it would have popped into her hair. "Visiting hours are over kid. Go home."

He leaned up against the desk, frowning promptly at the girl as he tapped his fingers against the surface of the desk, getting in her face. " Let me see him...please?" he added the sweet word at the end reluctantly, thinking that the girl deserved no such words.

"Jesus Christ kid! Get out of my face. You have five minutes." she huffed at Stan and pushed him back roughly, causing him to stumble backwards. He growled under breath, muttering a 'thank you'.

He sprinted down the blinding white hallways, clearly remembering the path he had taken to get to the Jew's room earlier. His heart thumped against his chest just thinking about Kyle's sweet smiling face. A smile curved across Stan's face at the thought, enjoying the butterflies in his stomach, playfully fluttering in a rhythm.

He looked at the slightly cracked open door. The letter labeling the door said "Kyle" in big gold letters. He knocked his hand of the door and quickly opened it. "Hey Kyle! I came to see how you were doing cutie! I-..." Stan's words blocked up in his throat, making him gag slightly. His eyes widened as a sharp pain wrapped through his chest. "K-Kyle?"

The bed was empty.

* * *

><p>AN: So, demonkittyX here you guys. I'm just here to say something really important. Okay, So I type all of my stories on my Ipod, upload them on my website, edit them, and then publish them on here. Long process, but whatever. The problem is that my Ipod's center button (the one that switches you from app to app) is sort of broken. Now, I've found a way to make it sort of work, but it's not fool-proof so if I don't update for a while, don't panic. I'm hopefully getting it fixed for Christmas. Let's keep our fingers crossed.

I'm also going to be working on another story here pretty soon. :D Since all you poeple who are reading this/following this are so freaking awesome, I'll let you know the this, It's a K2 story and is very fluffy! w

Poor Stan! I hate breaking his little heart. /3


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